Harlan Ellison or It's Never Just a Book

 (Harlan shows Tristan some moves)

I can't stop thinking about Harlan Ellison. I think I've read every tribute and accolade about the man online (it seems everyone has a good Harlan story.) I haven't felt this bad about someone I really only knew from their words (both written and spoken) since Gore Vidal died (I was miserable for weeks when he died and before that it was Howard Zinn.) It is amazing when we realize how much of an impact a book and the writer of that book can make on your life. It's *never* just a book, just a film, just a song or a painting. 

David shared our story about Tristan meeting HE in 2011 here. I'll add one bit that happened the second time we met Harlan. I went up with one of our books and a pen to ask Harlan to sign. Harlan was gracious and we started talking as he signed. Another fan popped up to my right and asked Harlan to sign his book. Only, this gentleman didn't have a pen. Harlan asked him, "Do you have a pen?" 

"Uh, no." The guy then turns to me and asks to borrow my pen.

Harlan, "Don't lend him your pen! Don't you know the boyscout motto? Be prepared! You don't have a fucking pen, you don't get your fucking book signed!" He then resumed talking to me. As I walked up the aisle he yelled, "Never let those fuckers borrow your pen! They need to learn their lesson! Be prepared!" (I also want to tell people who ask to borrow my pen THIS story as it happens to me a lot.)

(I know he hated what Roddenberry did to his script, "City on the Edge of Forever" but this is how so many of us feel right now.)

Goddamnit. I will miss knowing he's not in this world...